FIRST PART
The construction of statistical information: sources.
- The Census
- Sample surveys
- National surveys
- ISTAT surveys on households
- The system of multipurpose social surveys:
- Time use
- Aspects of daily life
- Health condition and use of health services
- Survey on citizens’ safety
- Labour force survey
- Survey on household consumption and poverty:
- Estimate of relative poverty
- Estimate of absolute poverty
- European Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC)
- SHARE Survey (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe)
- Opinion polls
- Eurobarometer (http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/index_en.htm)
SECOND PART
The construction of a field survey:
- Overall design of a field research
- Problems of definition, identification of the phases in which a statistical survey is articulated
Phase 1
Definition of the survey’s objectives and working hypotheses
Phase 2
Instruments for data collection
Phase 3
Analysis of observations and determination of conclusive results
Phase 4
Presentation of the results obtained, identification of the criteria to follow in drafting the final report
In-depth focus on Phase 1
Definition of the survey’s objectives and working hypotheses.
- Criteria for choosing the structure of the sample
- Research objectives
- Characteristics of the population and of the traits to be observed
- The issue of sources, the reference list
- Efficient use of available resources
- Simple random sampling
- Stratified sampling
- Application and examples of surveys based on stratified samples
In-depth focus on Phase 2
Instruments for data collection:
- Data sheet
- Questionnaire
- Interview
Questionnaire architecture:
- Information content
- Formulation of the question (open-ended, closed-ended, structured response, multiple choice)
- Hierarchical response questions
- Retrospective questions
Questionnaire architecture:
- The object of the survey and psychological processes
- The issue of memory
- Reference period
Examples of questionnaires used in official and ad hoc surveys.
- Design, structuring, and final drafting of the questionnaire
- Methods of administration and control
- Pre-test, pilot survey
Elements for an analysis of data quality and types of possible errors. A particular case:
- The electronic questionnaire
- The CASI technique
- References and examples of other techniques
From the questionnaire to data file recording:
- The data recording phase (questionnaire checking, information coding, construction of the codebook)
- Data structures
- Field length
- Data entry into the computer
